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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27455869">The Friendship Trap</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Farva5/pseuds/Farva5'>Farva5</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blue Lions Students-centric (Fire Emblem), F/M, Garreg Mach Ball (Fire Emblem), Garreg Mach Monastery (Fire Emblem), Goddess Tower (Fire Emblem), Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:42:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,590</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27455869</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Farva5/pseuds/Farva5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Annette and Felix are dating. Sylvain and Ingrid are dating. So why aren't Annette and Sylvain friends? Ingrid and Felix decide to force them to spend time together, for their own good.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annette Fantine Dominic &amp; Sylvain Jose Gautier, Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Felix Hugo Fraldarius &amp; Ingrid Brandl Galatea, Felix Hugo Fraldarius &amp; Ingrid Brandl Galatea &amp; Sylvain Jose Gautier, Ingrid Brandl Galatea/Sylvain Jose Gautier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Awkward Encounter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is mostly based on how underwhelming I found Sylvain and Annette's supports in Three Houses. Since I like these two pairings, I figured the two would have to have some kind of dynamic, right?</p><p>I also just am always fascinated in tv shows with that dynamic, of the people who's partners are friends, but they aren't really friends. So I decided to write about it! (I've been watching too much of The O.C. and have been thinking about this with Ryan and Summer, for instance)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Sing another song for me." Felix requested of his girlfriend, Annette. They had been dating for a few months now, just before their best friends Ingrid and Sylvain finally gave into their feelings and started dating too.</p><p>"Are you sure? I feel like you didn't like my song about blade sharpening."</p><p>"I promise, I loved it." Felix smiled. He was indeed sharpening his blade in his room, while Annette watched and passed the time. Felix had grown accustomed to her presence, and started to feel lonely when she wasn't around, a new emotion for him. "I wish they would use your songs at the Garreg Mach Ball."</p><p>"Are you teasing me? You know I don't like being teased about my songs."</p><p>Felix threw his hands up. "No teasing, I swear."</p><p>"Alright… I believe you. Are you getting hungry? I am! I saw they were serving cod in the dining hall!" Annette offered. "Want me to grab some, and eat it in here?"</p><p>"I'll go get it, you stay put. I've been cleaning my weapons all day, I need to stretch my legs."</p><p>"Okay! See you soon!" Annette took a seat at his desk, and started to hum the blade sharpening song to herself.</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Sylvain could hear humming from behind Felix's door. Felix didn't hum? Who is this person? All he needed was a new whetstone to sharpen his lance. As Sylvain got closer, he could tell it wasn't Felix humming. He knocked on the door.</p><p>"Oh! Hey Sylvain!" Annette answered the door, with Felix nowhere to be found.</p><p>"Annette! So lovely to see you. Where's Felix?"</p><p>"Oh, he stepped out to get some food. Should be back any minute now! If you're looking for him, you're welcome to wait."</p><p>Sylvain paused for a minute. Had he ever been alone with Annette? Sure, he, Annette, Felix and Ingrid had hung out or been on double dates all the time. Felix and Ingrid hang out too, they grew up together with Sylvain. But had he ever been alone with Annette? What would they talk about?</p><p>"Sure! Sounds wonderful."</p><p>Sylvain walked in. Besides the corner dedicated to weaponry, it was clean, almost barren. Felix wasn't the type to keep unnecessary stuff lying around. He sat down in Felix's desk chair, while Annette plopped onto his bed. Silence quickly hung in the air.</p><p>"So…" Sylvain started after a moment of avoiding eye contact.</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"Um… what does the Professor have you doing this month?"</p><p>"Archery." Annette let out. She seemed to want to follow up, but stopped herself, like she had nothing to add.</p><p>"Oh, interesting." Sylvain replied. How was that interesting? Ugh.</p><p>The two sat in silence a while longer. Felix still hadn't returned. Sylvain got up.</p><p>"You know what? I'll talk to him later. Goodbye, Annette."</p><p>"Oh, okay. Bye Sylvain."</p><p>Sylvain hurried out as quickly as he could.</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>"You're friends with her, aren't you?" Ingrid and Sylvain were at lunch together, and Sylvain had just told her what happened the night before.</p><p>"I suppose? We're group friends, but not personal friends."</p><p>"She's practically my only female friend, and your best friend's girlfriend. Surely you have something in common."</p><p>"You would think so! But it doesn't seem to be the case."</p><p>"Are gingers not all on the same wavelength?" Ingrid tried to pivot to a joke, but Sylvain just buried his head in his hands.</p><p>"Maybe I should ask out Anna if that were the case. I'm sure she's nicer than you."</p><p>"You know there's no way she is. She scares me."</p><p>"Me too." The pair laughed.</p><p>"Please, give Annette another try." Ingrid asked after a moment.</p><p>"I promise, I will. For both you and Felix."</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Later that night, Ingrid went to Felix's room. </p><p>"What is it, Ingrid?" Felix asked before he could even see her. Based on his conversation with Annette earlier, it could only be her.</p><p>"Felix, we need to talk."</p><p>Felix stepped aside to let her in.</p><p>"About Sylvain and Annette, I assume?"</p><p>"Exactly. Do you not find it troubling?"</p><p>"Not terribly. I've never seen Sylvain talk to a girl unless he was flirting with her. Annette is the first girl he can't."</p><p>"How is it Annette is more off limits than my own grandmother?" Ingrid said, a little indigent still about this repressed memory. Why was she dating him again?</p><p>"I suppose he cares about both of our relationships with Annette." Felix chuckled.</p><p>"So why don't you want them to be better friends?"</p><p>"I do, I'm just not worrying about it. But you and Annette are, so I'll worry too."</p><p>“Thank you so much Felix.”</p><p>“So do you have an idea in mind?” Felix asked, sitting on his bed.</p><p>“We have to force them to spend time alone… if we’re there nothing will happen.”</p><p>"That's true. What is a situation where both Annette and Sylvain won't challenge us inviting them alone?"</p><p>Ingrid and Felix looked around for a second, until Ingrid noticed Felix's dress suit.</p><p>"The ball is tomorrow night, Felix. It's the perfect night to get them alone."</p><p>"Won't it be crowded with people?"</p><p>"The dance will be, yes." Ingrid explained. "But not the Goddess Tower. And it's school tradition to invite the one you love to the tower. If I invite Sylvain, and you invite Annette, neither of them will be suspicious. We just get them alone and they'll have no choice but to talk."</p><p>"I have no objections. And I've known you long enough to know it's not worth changing your mind."</p><p>"It's settled then. I'll see you tomorrow Felix."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Night Of the Ball</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Garrag Mach Ball was just as grand and lively as it had been built up to be. All of their classmates were laughing, dancing, and enjoying themselves. His Highness was seemingly in a competitive ballroom dance, he and Edelgard almost dueling with each other from across the ballroom. Claude had taken the Professor by hand, clearly coaxing her into a dance. The rest of their friends were spread out on the dance floor.</p><p>Ingrid, Annette, Felix, and Sylvain all arrived together, among the last to show (though the honor of very last belonged to Linhardt). This was mostly due to Annette forcing all the makeup she could onto Ingrid, and Felix begrudgingly accepting fashion advice from Sylvain. Eventually, the group of four found their way onto the dance floor, each dancing with their significant other.</p><p>"It's a lovely night, isn't it? Always nice to see His Highness smiling." Ingrid began casually. She couldn't lead with the Goddess Tower, that would be suspicious.</p><p>"No sight as beautiful as you though, Ingrid." Sylvain gave a thousand watt smile her way. She found it obnoxious and charming, all at once.</p><p>Ingrid, however, could hear Felix just across the way.</p><p>"Annette?"</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>"Goddess Tower. 11 o'clock. Don't be late. Okay?"</p><p>"You're so romantic Felix! I'm excited now." Annette giggled.</p><p>Screw it, if Felix had that confidence, so would she.</p><p>"Hey Sylvain?"</p><p>"What is it, my princes-er, knight in shining armor?"</p><p>"Could you meet me in the Goddess tower later? At 11?"</p><p>"A romantic rendezvous? You tease me Ingrid! That sounds magical. Let's dance the night away until then, okay?"</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>As the night wore on, they all chatted and shared a dance with their friends. All the girls insisted on having at least one dance with Ashe, Ingrid and Annette included. He was unsurprisingly a good dancer. Even Dorothea, the winner of the White Heron Cup, playfully led Ingrid in a dance. She turned down Sylvain to do it too, which Ingrid could tell bothered him.</p><p>Felix seemed to be the only person Bernadetta danced with during the night, spending most of the night working up the courage to ask him.</p><p>Annette would dance whenever asked, but mostly spent time eating with Mercedes, both enjoying way too much of what the Monastery had to offer.</p><p>By the time 10:50 rolled around, the party was starting to clear out a bit. Edelgard and most of the Black Eagles had left. Hilda and Claude seemed determined to close out the dancefloor no matter what time it was. Felix and Ingrid both made a point to disappear a few minutes early. Sylvain left first, wanting to get himself ready at the tower.</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Felix and Ingrid hid behind some nearby bushes as they watched Sylvain enter first, then Annette a few minutes later.</p><p>"Do you really think this will work?" Ingrid asked, filled with doubt.</p><p>"I suppose it's too late to be asking those sorts of questions." Felix replied nonchalantly. He shrugged in his usual way, Ingrid had gotten used to his indifference over the years.</p><p>"Still, we should go through with our plan. Let's lock up the tower."</p><p>"Hopefully they both forgive us if this goes poorly." Felix said, but he still followed behind her.</p><p>As soon as Annette was inside, the both got up behind the door and sat down against it.</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Sylvain decided to have his back turned to the staircase. Surely Ingrid would want to surprise him? He heard footsteps coming up the stairs behind him.</p><p>"Getting me all alone? How exciting! I didn't think you were the romantic type, but I’m all yours tonight Ingrid." Sylvain was smiling to himself. If Ingrid had organized this, surely she'd be a little playful with him.</p><p>"Felix? Is that you?" A voice that definitely wasn't Ingrid shot through the room. Sylvain turned in a cold sweat. Annette unmistakably stood in front of him.</p><p>"Oh no." Annette wasn't surprised, or angry. Just deflated. She actually was excited to spend some time with Felix. He wasn't really the kind to joke or tease, so she tended to take his words at face value. She should've known there was something odd about him suggesting something romantic.</p><p>Sylvain turned around, to see the tiny ginger standing in front of him. Of course Ingrid wouldn't be interested in a romantic rendezvous, she had an end she was working towards.</p><p>"So…"</p><p>"So…"</p><p>"Ingrid invited you, I'm guessing?"</p><p>"Yes. And same for Felix?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Knowing them, we're probably locked in here."</p><p>They heard a thump at the door, confirming their suspicions.</p><p>"Why would they do this?" Sylvain wondered out loud.</p><p>"I don't suppose you talked to Ingrid about the other night, did you? Because I talked to Felix." Annette asked bashfully.</p><p>"I did. Yes."</p><p>"So they probably won't let us leave until we talk." Annette offered, still nervous.</p><p>"No, they won't."</p><p>The pair stared at each other for a while. Annette eventually sat in one of the windowsills, and exhaled.</p><p>"This is ridiculous! Why can't we just talk! We see each other every day, I've had lunch with you more times than I can count, this shouldn't be that hard!" Annette was getting worked up, on the verge of tears,, and Sylvain felt the need to do something.</p><p>"Annette, I can't stand to see a girl cry! Come on, let's just start with the basics. What do you want to know about me? Surely something about me fascinates you."</p><p>Annette inhaled, and centered herself.</p><p>"What… what was Felix like as a kid?"</p><p>Sylvain laughed. He wasn't used to girls asking him about someone else. Was Annette the first girl to really not be interested in him? Was he never once going to have to talk about his Crest?</p><p>"He was exactly like you think he'd be: intense, passionate. When the four of us would hang out, he always had to be the knight, or the samurai, or whatever. As long as he got into the fight. Ingrid usually fought him on that though."</p><p>"And you? What did you do?" Annette started to perk up.</p><p>"I? I was the fair maiden in distress. Gotta do my research to know how to woo women." Sylvain said through a smile.</p><p>"Did you wear a dress?"</p><p>"Of course! Ingrid had a ton she never wore. It was easy to find one."</p><p>"I can imagine. I can't imagine even a little Ingrid in a dress."</p><p>"She hated them! You should have seen her temper tantrums at balls that Dimitri's family threw. They practically dragged her in!" Sylvain laughed at the memory. It's part of why he loved Ingrid. Both of them were trying to defy their fates. And he knew they could do it together.</p><p>"That's wonderful. I wish I could have known you four back then."</p><p>"I think we all would have loved to have you with us. Felix especially. You have no idea how much happier he is with you. It's almost scary."</p><p>"Thank you for saying that. I guess I'm just glad I met you now. Felix has helped me a lot too. I guess… if someone so serious and intense likes me, I guess… all this effort must be paying off." Felix was the hardest working person she knew, it’s what she loved about him. She never really considered that it was what he liked about her.</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Outside the tower, Felix and Ingrid listened for a while, hoping to hear some sign of progress. There was the noise of chatter for a while.</p><p>"Sounds like they are finally getting along." Ingrid offered.</p><p>"I suppose so. Did not think it would be this easy."</p><p>There was a knock at the door. They both stood up, and Ingrid opened up. Sylvain and Annette were both staring at her, all smiles.</p><p>"We suspected you were eavesdropping on us, but it is nice to know it's true." Annette giggled.</p><p>"The nerve of these two, to lock up the people they love the most."</p><p>"We'll never let them hear the end of it." Annette continued to laugh.</p><p>"Well I see you're friends now." Felix said bluntly.</p><p>"Being locked in the Goddess Tower really builds a relationship. Ingrid, would you like to-"</p><p>"Not a chance."</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Inside the main reception hall, the Golden Deer did indeed continue the dance party well after everyone had left, with Hilda and Claude waltzing to no music, and the rest of the class cheering and carrying on. Ingrid, Felix, Sylvain, and Annette made their way through the hall to their dorm rooms.</p><p>"I never asked, what did you end up talking about?" Ingrid asked.</p><p>"Well, you two, I guess." Annette replied sheepishly.</p><p>"Us?" Felix was a little indignant.</p><p>"I regaled stories to Annette about our time as kids, and she told me all about your antics here when I'm not around to set you straight." Sylvain was even more self assured than usual, coming off a thrilling high of having fun with Annette.</p><p>"Sounds boring. But at least you're talking." It was all Felix could muster.</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>The next Monday, Ingrid watched from the serving table as Sylvain and Annette chatted with each other. Based on Sylvain hand motions, she was pretty sure he was telling the story about them meeting a nest of giant rats in the forests outside Fhirdiad. She had gotten up a few minutes ago to get more meat, but she found herself just watching as the two smiled and kept conversing.</p><p>"They actually are getting along, aren't they?" A voice called to Ingrid from behind. She turned to see Felix approaching.</p><p>"They truly are. I'm happy to see it."</p><p>"All it took was talking about us. Surprised we missed something so obvious."</p><p>"I prefer to see it as that we are what united them." Ingrid smiled back. "I'm very excited to see the four of us together for a long, long time."</p><p>She took Felix by the hand, and led him to the table, where they joined in on regaling Annette with their tales of childhood.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I doubt anyone reading this cares, but after this I'll go back to your regularly scheduled programming of Persona 5 screenplays</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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